Miserable weather plagued the women's and Class 2 hang gliding world championships at the Tegelberg. Photo: Stavel Velchev. picasaweb.google.com/SVelchev
Austrian Manfred Ruhmer is the new Class 2 hang gliding world champion. Steve Cox (CH) is vice-champion and Bob Baier (DE) third.
Two weeks of atrocious weather at the Women’s and Class 2 Hang Gliding World Championships at Tegelberg, meant that with only one task flown the women’s event was not validated. Natalia Petrova (RU) won the one task, that was held on the final day (Saturday 21 May) ahead of Corinna Schwiegershausen (DE) and Kathleen Rigg (GB), but Corinna remains world champion for another year.
Dark skies, cloudbase near the ground, snow, storms, Foehn winds, thunderstorms and hail. This is what the Tegelberg was subjected to between 8 and 22 May.
The Swift pilots, who tow-launched, managed two tasks which validated their event. Manfred Ruhmer was first into goal on both days, but Archeopteryx pilot Philippe Bernard beat him on points in the first task.
However, the Archeaopteryx has never been certified for foot-landing and as such falls outside of the Class 2 definition. Although all the other Swift pilots were said to have been in favour of it, it was disallowed in the World Championships.
Despite the weather conditions, pilots praised the organisers, who went to great lengths to ensure a smooth event, even providing brooms to sweep snow from gliders on launch! They arranged plenty of evening entertainment, and pilots got to know the Schwangau’s tourist spots during the days, although some have vowed not to return to the site in mid-May again.
Brooms were on hand to brush the snow from gliders at the women's Hang Gliding World Championships 2010. Photo: Stavel Velchev. picasaweb.google.com/SVelchev
A detailed day-by-day account of the event can be read here.
